Brookhaven Messenger Aug.31, 2023

Another Successful Holbrook Festival!

By Matt Meduri

The summer months are the busiest of the year, and while the public plans their own vacations, activities, and forms of leisure, the communities and towns spare no expense in planning their own.

The hamlet of Holbrook is one that is unfortunately overshadowed by nearby areas. With Bohemia and MacArthur Airport on the neighborhood’s western border, Farmingville and Medford to the east, and Patchogue immediately south, Holbrook’s businesses and attractions can be overlooked when compared to the surrounding communities.

Although the Holbrook landmarks of Mamma Lombardi’s and Irish Times require no introduction, a monumental community staple occurs on a yearly basis to close out the summer, and it demands significant planning and manpower to host: the Holbrook Festival.

The twenty-eight-year-old event draws thousands of people every year, with planning starting in April. The festival typically runs during the last weekend of August and puts Holbrooks squarely on the map as one of the most anticipated summer events in central Suffolk.

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Credit: Rick Ammirati V.F.W. Monument

Another Successful Holbrook Festival!

Rick Ammirati, who has been President of the Holbrook Chamber of Commerce for twenty-three years, regularly makes his community and the businesses and residents associated with it stand out during the rest of the year when the Festival is not in operation. Ammirati has taken it upon himself to make Holbrook a more trafficked community, regularly working to ensure necessary upgrades and services - such as sewers - are in the works to help his hamlet compete with the neighboring ones.

“This carnival started out as a small street fair in 1995 in the parking lot of Friendly’s shopping plaza on Main Street,” said Ammirati. “We moved to the Sachem Administrative Building on Union Avenue in 2001, where we started the actual carnival. Then we were at Seneca Middle School in 2003 where we expanded, and then came to the Country Club in 2017. I’ve been involved in every single one of them.”

Ammirati described the local chamber members who sponsored food, such as Trio’s, Island Empanada, Bello’s Halal Grill, and Mr. Frostie.

“We had several thousand people over the four days and even brought back our Mr. and Ms. Holbrook by popular demand which we haven’t done since 2019,” said Ammirati. “I want to thank our sponsors, our chamber volunteers - we had close to fifty members who sponsored - and Town of Islip Parks Commissioner Tom Owens. The Holbrook Fire Department, the Suffolk Police Department were both on hand during the entire event.”

Ammirati also discussed the team effort for this event, saying that the Fair is run completely by volunteers, with no paid employees within the chamber.

The proceeds will go to fund their lawn maintenance program, which irrigates, seeds, and maintains the grass from the “Welcome to Holbrook” sign on Smith Ave to the 7-11 on Union Avenue. Proceeds will also fund spraying of weeds on the medians along Union Avenue. Finally, proceeds will also maintain the holiday lights program along Main Street, Furrows Rd, Union Ave, Grundy Ave.

Ammirati also briefly discussed the potential of Holbrook as it receives necessary upgrades to become a more vibrant business district:

“After 16 years of lobbying, the Legislature has secured $12 million in grant funds for our Main Street/Union Ave sewer project,” said Ammirati. “The project is due to be completed by spring of 2027, and it’s already underway. They started soil testing and planning. It’s fully funded and we even got a federal grant of $3 million from Congressman

Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport).”

Ammirati and company’s efforts to put Holbrook on the map have not gone unfulfilled. A new Holbrook resident attended the fair with her young child on Saturday and not only was she thrilled with the fair itself, but also with the hamlet of Holbrook.

Kara Lamendola recently moved to Holbrook from Seaford. Looking to leave Nassau County for the quieter suburbs during COVID, Lamendola was already sold on moving to Suffolk County, but exactly where in Suffolk was still a question. She had heard so much about Holbrook and, according to her, it more than lives up to new expectations:

“I lived in Seaford and then Lindenhurst for a little while. During COVID, my husband and I were looking to move to Suffolk County since his family is in Patchogue, but everyone kept telling me how nice Holbrook is,” said Lamendola. “It’s such a great, family-oriented town.”

Due to personal reasons, Lamendola did not explore the town during her first couple of years here. Now, all bets are off as she looks to explore her new neighborhood.

“I stayed secluded during COVID, but this summer is the summer to infiltrate Holbrook,” said Lamendola. “This fair is amazing, it’s one of the best I’ve been to. It’s great seeing all these kids and families here because it makes me feel reassured to know we’re living in such a great town and that my kid will grow up in such a nice area.”

Lamendola looks forward to continuing her discoveries within the hamlet. She also looks forward to the implementation of sewers in the business district and the potential for Holbrook to be a walkable town.

“I would love a place where I can just park, take my kid in the stroller and walk around to these great businesses and restaurants and connect with the community.”

Legislator Anthony Piccirillo (R-Holtsville) of the Eighth Legislative District not only attended the fair with his staff, but also helped sponsor the event.

“It’s been another great year at the Holbrook Carnival, I look forward to it every single year,” said Piccirillo. “It’s great to bring the community together with local businesses. A big thanks to the Holbrook Chamber of Commerce and President Rick Ammirati and Vice President Kevin Guilfoyle for organizing such a great event. I hope everyone enjoys this last bit of summer with their families.”

Piccirillo is on the ballot this November for a third term in the Suffolk Legislature.

Assemblyman Doug Smith (R-Holbrook) of the Fifth Assembly District attended the Fair not only as an elected official, but also for his daughter’s birthday party. Assemblyman Smith has brought his family to the Holbrook Fair in previous years, so his daughter has become fond of the marquee weekend.

“We look forward to the Holbrook Fair every year,” said Smith. “It’s a fantastic event for a fantastic town. Our daughter, Sophie, has always loved it so much, so when she wanted her birthday party at the Fair this year, it was a no-brainer. A huge thank you to Rick Ammirati and the Holbrook Chamber for another successful festival! Twenty-eight years and counting!”

Islip Town Councilman John Lorenzo (C-Sayville) of the Fourth Council District spent time connecting with the voters in anticipation of his first election to the Islip Town Council in November.

“I want to thank Rick Ammirati and the entire Holbrook Chamber for the great event they’ve put on,” said Lorenzo. “As a small business owner, the amount of people involved in

this and the investment they’ve put into the community is crucial to the survival of small business. I appreciate everything they do, and I appreciate being here!”

Candidate for Islip Town Clerk Linda Vavricka (R-East Islip) also attended the fair on Saturday.

“I’d like to thank the Chamber, and all involved for putting on such a great, successful event for the families of this area,” said Varvicka.

Vavricka will face Sarah Smith (D) in November for the open Town Clerk seat.

Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio (R-Riverhead) of the Second Assembly District also made a guest appearance at the fair.

“It’s always a great time with a family crowd at the Holbrook Fair,” said Giglio. “If you didn’t make it this year, come on down next year!”

Suffolk Legislator Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset) of the Twelfth District and County Comptroller John Kennedy (R-Nesconset) also attended the Festival on Saturday.

“It’s lovely!” said Legislator Kennedy. “Holbrook is such a nice town and I know my constituents from Ronkonkoma love coming to this Festival every year.”

Food ranged from typical carnival food like popcorn, cotton candy, and funnel cakes, to burgers, hot dogs, and hot, fresh-shucked ears of buttered corn.

Some organizations and vendors also attended the carnival with booths. Renewal by Andersen, Sachem Public Library, Mr. Tech Bench, and Abundant Life church were all part of the weekend.

The Holbrook Fire Department constructed a course of exhibits at the fair’s entrance, including a full fire engine on display, as well as interactive displays to demonstrate what firefighters do in emergency situations.

Event and firework sponsors included the Suffolk County Legislature and Legislator Piccirillo, Holbrook MTA Auto Service, the CM Performing Arts Center, VRP Insurance Agency, and the Special FX Wizard of Long Island.

The Messenger congratulates Ammirati, Guilfoyle, the Holbrook Chamber of Commerce, and the sponsors for another successful Holbrook Carnival.

(Left to right) Islip Town Councilman John Lorenzo, Assemblyman Doug Smith, Legislator Anthony Piccirillo, Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio, Legislator Leslie Kennedy, Islip Town Clerk Candidate Linda Vavricka, County Comptroller John Kennedy.

Holbrook Chamber of Commerce President Rick Ammirati

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Thursday, August 31, 2023

The Current State of the GOP

The modern political era is unlike anything we have witnessed in our lifetimes.

The current tribulations are often compared to those of the 1960s and 1970s, when the United States was in the throes of the Civil Rights Era, the Vietnam War, the Sexual Revolution, the growing global threat of communism, and a world’s longevity uncertain.

At the same time, the political parties experienced identity crises, with many traditional Democrats abandoning the Party of Jackson for Ronald Reagan, dubbing themselves “Reagan Democrats.” The unstable eras of the 1960s and 1970s, also plagued by the scandals of the Nixon Administration, produced Republican sweeps of all three elections held in the 1980s.

So, while there is nothing new under the sun, the current is markedly more nuanced, since both parties are in dire identity crises, the world appears to be on fire figuratively - and perhaps literally, depending on who you ask - and the aforementioned problems of the 1960s and 1970s only seem more pronounced and severe than they were then, mainly due to the influence and ubiquitousness of social and mainstream media.

The current state of the GOP is not one that begins and ends with Reagan and Trump, rather the brief history lends itself to how we ended up in our current predicament.

The George H. W. Bush Administration is seen as the beginning of the end for the modern Republican. With the “read my lips, no new taxes” platitude resulting in complete and total embarrassment in 1992, Republicans were then seen as a party of crony Wall Street capitalism, while Bill Clinton’s moderate, blue dog doctrines of economic stability and moderate social stances allowed Democrats to reclaim the faith of the working class.

The 1994 Republican Revolution delivered Republicans control of the U.S. House for the first time since 1952 and the Senate since 1987, only the fourth time since 1933 that they had held the latter chamber. The result between Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich was the “Contract with America,” creating the last time our budget had a surplus; it lasted until 2001.

So, while the 1992 and 1994 elections were defined by a clear rejection of the results of the last election, they perpetuated the idiosyncratic “want-what-we-can’t-have” political attitudes of the average American, while also creating a blurred line between the parties. The 1994 midterms feature the last time a Republican won a House seat in Massachusetts, as well as a collective Democratic Congressional majority from the Southern states. The parties were defined more by sectionalism rather than a national standpoint.

Now, election results have hardly ever been as partisan. In 1994, nineteen states had split U.S. Senate delegations, meaning a Republican held one state’s Senate seat, while

a Democrat held the other. Now, we’re at a historic low of just five states, and it’s possible two of them lose that status after the 2024 race. It looked as if 2022 would help the GOP branch out into difficult territory - they seem to have done so in New York - but politics remains just as partisan as ever. The GOP made paltry gains in the House and took a net loss in the Senate, while also forfeiting several winnable governorships.

Enter the intraparty fighting. We’re basically on two sides of an agonizingly oversimplified aisle: It’s all Trump’s fault, or it’s the establishment GOP’s fault.

Local politicians cannot be nationalized. It’s what produces iconoclastic and independent politicians, such as Jarred Golden from Maine or Brian Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania. Even Long Island’s GOP House delegation will stand up to the party while fighting for SALT deductions. This is not a mistake in our government, it’s a feature.

Some say that the GOP should return to the politics of George Bush and John McCain. This is a thought posited by current Presidential long-shot candidate Asa Hutchinson, the former Governor of Arkansas. If there’s anything we’ve learned from Bush and McCain, it’s that they could not win elections handily - or at all - but their tenures were also defined by warmongering, big-spending, and big-government encroachment on business and personal liberties.

Like Trump or not, his reintroduction of populism to the American electorate was a booster shot that was desperately required before the conservative movement bottomed out along with the Rust Belt in 2016. Some say only angry, white rural voters are the reason Trump won, forgetting that Barack Obama, the first black president, won the overwhelmingly white states of Wisconsin and Michigan by unprecedented doubledigit margins, especially after Wisconsin was decided by less than one percentage point just eight years prior.

Trump’s populist overtones not only returned those states to the centerfold of competition - he was the first Republican since Reagan to win Wisconsin (1984) and the first since Bush Sr. to win Michigan (1988) - but he also narrowed margins in states not even on the radar. Oregon and Delaware were dangerously close to being decided by single-digit margins. Trump was able to draw hefty crowds in Washington and Connecticut. The fact that Minnesota, the state with the longest Democratic winning streak (since 1976), was not called on election night shocked the world.

Now, after new life has been breathed into a dying, virtually irrelevant party, we’re expected to pump the brakes and return to the losing strategy? Something, something, repeating the same thing and expecting different results is the definition of insanity.

While Trump has his baggage, and cannot be the standard bearer of the Party of Lincoln forever, his message and his policies must remain. A more palatable candidate will arise to assert that government is merely a tool best used sparingly, not the be-all end-all to our problems.

A Season to Look Forward To

Even though summer doesn’t technically end until the autumnal equinox on September 23, summer is typically declared legally dead at the end of August, which, if the back-to-school commercials and general malaise at the very prospect of the season change hasn’t already alerted you, is upon us.

We say this in a humorous manner but we always retain a slight bit of legitimate cynicism, only because of how winter is almost universally dreaded by everyone north of Virginia. Not only does the cold quickly become a nuisance and the snow - which has been light these last few years - become the final straw for New York residency, many of us find it difficult to enjoy the same aspects of our lives during the winter months.

And this isn’t without reason. While seasonal depression is a real problem many people encounter, it’s logical as to why so many despise the colder half of the year.

For starters, the shorter days not only hinder productivity and the ability to weather the weather, but what’s so encouraging about leaving home at 7:30 in the morning when it’s still dark and arriving home at 5:30 when it’s already dark.

Autumn is such a beautiful season with exciting changes that are revered by many, with the vast array of new eye-popping colors being the focal point of many clothing pallets and advertisement campaigns.

It’s too bad this picturesque season only lasts about three to four weeks until everything is brown and gray until April. Who wouldn’t find it difficult to be motivated when this is the world you’re forced to look at when you open the curtains every morning? (Not to let the natural light in, again, it’s still dark outside).

Furthermore, when the summer months breed excitement and anticipation, it’s almost contagious. Warm, sunny days with flowers in bloom and the general buzz of heading to the beach or going on an exotic trip sets the mood among almost anyone you talk to.

What are contagious emotions in autumn? Complaints of the impending cold and snow, anger at the shorter days and longer nights, longings for the blooming trees and flowers,

subtly ironic editorial messages from your local newspaper. It’s difficult to maintain a positive personal beat when the mood is almost universally killed by the mile-long list addressed to the complaint department. It’s not that these critiques aren’t valid, but as iron sharpens iron, we’re not exactly sharpening each other when it’s most required of us.

That’s why we here at The Messenger like to make the most of a bad situation - or at least as much as we can. Enjoy those colorful autumn days before they evaporate like Trader Joe’s signature pumpkin pancake mix. Take a weekend trip up to Vermont to see quintessential autumn beauty in its natural habitat.

Go out east and enjoy pumpkin and apple picking. Even if it is a little cheesy, you live just west of some of the best places to partake in those activities. Make the most of the situation.

Make the most out of the time spent indoors. Start a new show or get to that stack of movies your relatives have been haranguing you for not getting the references. Take up a new hobby or just enjoy each other’s company by making the most of being forced inside by the cold.

Enjoy the pumpkin-flavored gimmicks every retailer in the country needs to sell. Again, the pumpkin pancake mix exclusive to Trader Joe’s is to die for.

The point is: make the season more than just what we dread. Autumn would be our favorite season if winter didn’t immediately follow it. The change of season is inevitable, so why waste time being unhappy during the enjoyable bits over something you already can’t change?

This isn’t to downplay seasonal depression and other related mood changes. We strongly recommend counseling or therapy if you feel it’s necessary. But taking the above steps to enjoy the ride instead of dreading the wait until next spring can certainly get you ahead of the wintry curve.

As fall unofficially begins, not only will we see you on the campaign trail, but we will see you at the fall festivals, the pumpkin picking, the Halloween-themed events, and of course… Trader Joe’s.

2016 Presidential Election by County (Credit - Ali Zifan & Inqvisitor - Wikimedia Commons)

Local Control, the Key to Protecting Long Island Communities from the Migrant Crisis

A recent Siena College poll shows that 82 percent of New Yorkers view the wave of migrants flooding our nation and state as a serious problem. Compounding the issue has been Washington and Albany’s lack of action and a clear plan to address the humanitarian crisis their policies helped create.

This failure of leadership can be seen daily in the news—migrants sleeping on the streets, shuttled to hotels throughout the state, and haphazard plans complete with no-bid contracts to house these individuals and families in tent cities or on college campuses.

While New York City and Albany lock horns, cast blame, and piece together last-minute plans to address a problem that has been a long time coming, we need to ensure that Long Island is shielded, not from migrants, but from the failed leadership and policies that created this man-made disaster.

That shield is local control.

During this year’s Legislative Session, I joined my colleagues calling for policies to block the use of New York’s ill-suited college campuses for migrant housing and proposed plans to bus them to our small communities without local input and approval.

We also requested that the Governor’s office share with us the plan and the amount of New York tax dollars being used to house, transport and care for these individuals. Additionally, we requested the State Comptroller provide a fully transparent accounting of all tax dollars being spent and make that information available via a searchable, public database. This information is critical as the state faces severe financial challenges and we work to stop additional burdens being placed on local governments, schools and most importantly, taxpayers.

Recent history, from the pandemic to the Governor’s failed housing proposals, has shown that the top down, Albany-centric approach fails because it doesn’t

consider the diverse and unique communities that are the foundation of the Empire State.

In light of Governor Hochul’s previously ill-conceived plan of housing migrants at Stony Brook University’s main and Southampton Campuses, and other sites across Long Island, our local communities and officials must all be included in the discussion before any decisions are made.

County and Town officials are our partners and need to be treated as such. Strong local control, community input and funding from state and federal partners must be the first step toward crafting a plan to address the migrant crisis.

New Yorkers are a welcoming people, and their change in mood is not one of the heart, but in their lack of faith in the leadership of our state and nation. Midnight bus runs to motels and pop-up tent cities in suburban neighborhoods with inadequate services are not the answer.

The only solution comes with funding and proper planning. Plans where input from residents and approval from the Town and local officials are required. Building consensus is not always easy, but it is the only way New York State government will be able to solve this immediate humanitarian crisis and address the long-term impacts of uncontrolled migration until someone in Washington finds the courage to fix the crisis at our Southern Border.

Anthony Palumbo is a New York State Senator representing the First Senatorial District. He was first elected in 2020 and re-elected in 2022. The First District contains the entire East End of Long Island, with the entireties of the Towns of East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton, and Southold, as well as parts of eastern Brookhaven.

S&P Global Says Sayonara to ESG Scores – Sort of

By Chris Talgo | The Heartland Institute

On August 4, S&P Global Ratings, one of the largest and most influential credit rating agencies in the world, announced, “effective immediately, we are no longer publishing new ESG credit indicators in our reports or updating outstanding ESG credit indicators.”

S&P’s Friday news dump is welcome news to opponents of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) scores, however, it should be taken with a grain of salt.

By Senator Anthony Palumbo Gary Yim | Shutterstock.com

Center Square

According to S&P Global Ratings, “we have determined that the dedicated analytical narrative paragraphs in our credit rating reports are most effective at providing detail and transparency on ESG credit factors material to our rating analysis, and these will remain integral to our reports.” In other words, S&P Global Ratings is saying that they will no longer publish “alphanumeric ESG credit indicators.” Yet, in the same letter, the company also affirmed that it will continue to provide “research and commentary on ESG-related topics, including the influence that ESG factors can have on creditworthiness.”

Moreover, the company also declared that the announcement “does not affect our ESG principles criteria,” which, “articulate the principles that S&P Global Ratings applies to incorporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) credit factors into its credit ratings analysis.”

In one sense, S&P seems to be distancing itself from ESG scores. Yet, at the same time, it seems that this is only a token gesture, as the company will continue to implement ESG “principles” in its ratings decisions.

Interestingly, S&P’s decision to drop its alphanumeric rating scale comes just two years after it launched the massive undertaking. Even more interesting, the decision comes on the heels of a “multistate investigation into S&P Global Inc. for potential violations of consumer protection laws.”

In September 2023, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton joined several other attorneys general to investigate if “S&P’s published ESG credit indicators, ESG scores, and ESG evaluations… politicize what should be a purely financial decision and…deceptively confound the distinction between subjective opinions and objective financial facts.”

“Too many consumers and investors have been hurt by the woke ESG movement’s obsession with radical social change and willingness to ignore the law,” said Paxton. “We’re investigating S&P Global to find out if they’ve engaged in the types of destructive, illegal business practices that are so pervasive in the ESG movement. If so, they will have to answer for their actions.”

Perhaps S&P Global Ratings abandoned the alphanumeric ESG score scale to get ahead of the pending investigation. Or maybe the two events are unrelated. We don’t know.

But, we do know that the backlash against ESG continues to gain steam.

Already, several states have introduced bills or passed laws that are designed to combat ESG abuse. Florida, the ultimate example, passed an antiESG law in May that Gov. Ron DeSantis describes as “comprehensive legislation to protect Floridians from the corporatist environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) movement – a worldwide effort to inject woke political ideology across the financial sector, placing politics above the fiduciary duty to make the best financial decisions for beneficiaries.”

Earlier this year, the face of ESG, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, asserted, “I don’t use the word ESG anymore, because it’s been entirely weaponized.”

Actually, the term has not been weaponized whatsoever. What has happened over the past year or so, to the frustration of Fink and other champions of the ESG racket, is that the public has become aware that ESG is a virtue-signaling scheme that prioritizes nonfinancial goals in place of maximizing returns for investors.

Fink and his brethren refer to their new financial system as “stakeholder capitalism” because they believe that companies ought to prioritize non-financial factors, such as a company’s carbon footprint and allegiance to nebulous social justice causes, even if these initiatives negatively affect the company’s bottom line and lead to reduced returns for investments.

However, most Americans, according to recent polls, think fund managers should consider “only financial factors” when making investment decisions. Furthermore, evidence is mounting that ESG funds perform worse than ESG funds.

Although S&P’s recent decision to drop its alphanumeric ESG scoring system is a slight win for the growing anti-ESG movement, much more remains to be done if we are to ultimately defeat this festering menace to free-market capitalism, individual freedom, and maximum financial returns for Americans’ nest eggs.

Chris Talgo (ctalgo@heartland.org) is editorial director at The Heartland Institute.

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Two Centuries of Standards Eviscerated in Two Years

For the entire history of the United States of America, there was an unwritten standard that the party in power did not overreach in persecuting its political enemies. As of the last two years, those standards are gone.

Likewise, it was axiomatic that the attorney-client relationship was sacrosanct and could not be messed with. As of the last two years, it has become normal for the party in power to raid the homes and offices of attorneys representing the ruling party’s political opponents.

Since the founding of our Constitution, the free press in America has vigorously defended its fellow members within the fourth estate whose freedom of expression were threatened, especially by the party in power.

But, in the last two years, we have seen the mainstream media go silent as law enforcement personnel in Washington pressured private disseminators of information, such as Twitter and Facebook, to suppress speech.

Since its founding 100 years ago, the American Civil Liberties Union would speak out in vigorous defense of the freedom of minority views to be heard, despite pressure from the majority to suppress that speech. But in the last several years, the once-vaunted ACLU has evolved into just another left-wing Democratic advocacy group that fights for free speech, so long as the speaker has an ideology approved of by the ACLU.

If, 100 years from now, our great nation is no longer recognizable as the beacon of freedom around the world, historians may very well look back through these last two or three years as being the catalyst for a monumental shift toward the loss of freedom in America.

The thing that separated the American experience from banana republics around the world and the tyrannical regimes throughout history was our tolerance of opposing political views.

But these freedoms are disappearing as more radically left-wing — and often

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Marxist-oriented — advocates have begun securing positions of leadership within American institutions. We are quickly morphing into a nation mimicking the revolutionary talking points that one would read in Communist Manifesto, or in Saul Alinsky’s Handbook for Radicals.

The head of the American Library Association is a self-described “queer Marxist.” It’s no surprise that she would support pushing books in our schools that promote pornography and the concept that America is a poisonous and racist nation.

The founders of Black Lives Matters were self-described Marxists who called for the end of the nuclear family and the elimination of prisons.

The Marxist radicals are teaching our next generation in universities throughout the land about critical race theory, which claims white people are inherently racist exploiters, while black people are helpless victims who cannot succeed in America.

Is it any wonder that almost half of America’s youth polled said that they will not fight to defend our country if we were attacked, as was the Ukraine?

More than half believe that it is proper to suppress an individual’s speech if the speech would offend someone else.

Over half of our younger population perceives socialism as a better form of government than a free market economy.

Marxism is based on benevolent totalitarianism. The bureaucracy controlling the government believes that the rest of society should give up their rights to democracy and to free speech so that the wiser elites can run an ownership-free society that provides for every individual’s needs.

The first step in achieving this goal is to wipe out the church and the nuclear family, the two bedrock institutions that bonded society together throughout America’s growth. The Marxist wants no competition for one’s loyalty to the state. The individual becomes dependent on the state for his or her every need. And that’s the trade-off in giving up one’s free speech and rights to ownership.

The new Marxists being groomed in our colleges feel it is perfectly acceptable for the Department of Justice to bring charges against the last presidential candidate whose policy positions they disagreed with, yet Democrats such as Stacey Abrams, Hillary Clinton, Jamie Raskin, Barbara Boxer, Nancy Pelosi, Maxine Waters, and Adam Schiff can freely object to election results without any pushback.

This same generation, which now controls our newsrooms, doesn’t even flinch when conservative reporter Andy Ngo is attacked and nearly beaten to death by an Antifa mob because he was exposing their criminal activities.

They yawn as even liberal reporter Mike Taibbi has an IRS agent knock on his home door in an act of intimidation as he is testifying before a House committee against government censorship.

There is barely a peep from the media as a father was arrested by an FBI SWAT team in an early morning raid at his house in front of his children simply because he was protesting at an abortion clinic.

The American Bar Association was totally silent as Donald Trump‘s attorneys, Rudolph Giuliani and Michael Cohen, had their home offices raided by the DOJ. Not a word when attorneys Jenna Ellis, John Eastman and Sydney Powell were indicted for sharing legal opinions that the 2020 election could be contested in court, just as many other defeated candidates had contested their losses in the past.

The American Medical Association lent credibility to medical professionals who sought to lock down outdoor church services, but gave their stamp of approval for outdoor protests if it was for a worthy Black Lives Matter protest.

The key to a bloodless Marxist overthrow of our nation is indeed to disintegrate the traditions that made America great. Decimate religion and the nuclear family. Open the border to radically change the electorate in our nation. Eviscerate our economy by diminishing our energy independence and the value of the dollar by causing out-of-control inflation.

And infiltrate every element of society from grade school to universities, from social media platforms to the entertainment industry, and from the corporate media to the corporate boardroom.

When our formerly prestigious institutions no longer act as the guardrails to government overreach, few barriers will remain to keep our freedoms intact.

National, State and Local Temperature Checks

By Matt Meduri National

The 2024 Presidential election is officially underway as eight Republican candidates convened in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, last Wednesday night for the first debate of the season.

The night was markedly different than what some expected as former President Donald Trump (R-FL), the frontrunner in the polls, was absent from the stage for his refusal to sign a loyalty pledge, a requirement for participation. Candidates who have signed the pledge agree to support the nominee of the party, regardless of who it is. The candidates were ordered from highest to lowest in polling from the center of the stage towards the ends.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis shared the center of the state with Ohio businessman Vivek Ramaswamy. Flanking the two in the center, in order of polling, were former Vice President and former Indiana Governor Mike Pence, former South Carolina Governor and U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, U.S. Senator from South Carolina Tim Scott, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.

Opening statements were made against the backdrop of Oliver Anthony’s surprise hit “Rich Men North of Richmond,” as the Republican contenders assert that “Bidenomics” does not work.

“We cannot succeed as a country if you are working hard and you can’t afford groceries, a car, or a new home, while Hunter Biden can make hundreds of thousands of dollars on lousy paintings. That is wrong,” said Governor DeSantis. “We also cannot succeed when the Congress spends trillions and trillions of dollars. Those ‘rich men north of Richmond’ have put us in this situation.”

Governor Christie said that everyone on the stage would “predominantly agree” with DeSantis’ points. Christie touted his experience as the governor of New Jersey, a blue state with a Democratic legislature who worked with him during his tenure.

Senator Scott prided himself on his consecutive votes against spending packages in the Senate.

“We can rein in inflation by turning the spigot off in Washington and sending the money back to the states and allowing the decisions to be made within peoples’ own houses,” said Scott.

Scott also touted his support of Trump policies by stating they delivered a “70-year low in unemployment for women, record-low unemployment for blacks, Hispanics, and Asians, with 2% inflation.”

Ramaswamy answered not only the question of his youth, but the “blank slate” he presents to a debate stage of credentialed, experienced politicians:

“Let me address a question that is on everybody’s mind at home tonight: ‘Who the heck is this skinny guy with a funny last name and what is he doing at the center of this debate stage?’”

Ramaswamy then outlined his status as a political outsider and first-generation American, as well as his ability to found multi-billion dollar companies while raising two sons with his wife. These facets, along with “following his faith in God,” is what he described as “the American Dream.”

Ramaswamy also called the anti-carbon agenda the “wet blanket on our economy.”

Governor and Ambassador Haley used her opening statements to open fire on her opponents:

“The truth is, Biden didn’t do this to us, our Republicans did this to us too,” said Haley. “When they passed that $2.2 trillion COVID stimulus bill, they left 90

million people on Medicaid, 42 million on food stamps. No one has told you how to fix it, I’ll tell you how to fix it: they need to stop the spending and the borrowing and eliminate the earmarks the Republicans brought back in. You have Ron DeSantis, Tim Scott, Mike Pence, they all voted to raise the debt, and Donald Trump added $8 trillion to our debt. Our kids are never going to forgive us for this debt.”

Former Vice President Pence rebutted: “I’m incredibly proud of the Trump-Pence Administration. We rebuilt our military, revived our economy, and unleashed American energy.”

Pence asserted himself as the most-qualified candidate due to his experience as a governor and Vice President. Pence said to Ramaswamy that “now is not the time for on-the-job training, we don’t need a rookie.”

Governor Doug Burgum said: “We’ve got $1.2 trillion of Green New Deal spending in the Inflation Reduction Act, which is just subsidizing China. If you buy a battery or a solar panel right now, it’s produced in a plant in China powered by coal, or it’s being powered by oil and gas at 20% off [due to sanctions against Russia that benefit China].”

Burgum is the first major party candidate from North Dakota to run for President. His state is one of the top oil-producers in the country and home to some of the largest tracts of farmland nationally.

Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson has registered the lowest in the polls. He touts his time as governor, as head of the DEA, and his time at Homeland Security as his merits for taking on the administrative state: “I pledge to reduce by 10% our federal non-defense workforce, which would attack the administrative state,” said Hutchinson.

One of the most notable blows of the debate came early in the night as Governor Christie compared Ramaswamy’s statements to those of ChatGPT, an Artificial Intelligence program that can create humanlike conversational dialogue.

Haley jumped in on the early scrap by quoting Margaret Thatcher: “‘If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.”

In order to qualify for the debates, each candidate was required to attain 40,000 donations from at least 200 unique donors in at least 20 different states. Additionally, they were required to register at least 1% in four polls, two national polls and two state polls.

Michigan businessman and author Perry Johnson insists he qualified, but it was not confirmed by the debate commission in time for the event.

Notable candidates who did not qualify include California radio broadcaster and 2021 gubernatorial recall candidate Larry Elder, Miami mayor Francis Suarez, Texas pastor Ryan Binkley, and former Texas Congressman Will Hurd.

The race also suffered its first suspension on August 29: Miami Mayor Suarez suspended his campaign after failing to qualify for the debate stage.

Other declared candidates who have not met regular national criteria also did not participate. They are Texas tax consultant John Anthony Castro, Virginia pastor and perennial candidate E. W. Jackson, former Cranton, Rhode Island, mayor Steve Laffey,and former Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton.

Read Page 12 for additional commentary on the debate.

State

The drama surrounding New York’s migrant crisis continues as New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) now returns Governor Kathy Hochul’s (D) barbs from last week:

“I think the governor is wrong,” said Adams. “She’s the governor of the state of New York. New York City is in that state. Every county in this state should be part of this.”

Hochul has rejected Adams’ premise that this should be a statewide issue, saying that other counties should not have to bear the fiscal and logistical burden that New York City took upon itself.

“This is an agreement that does not apply to the state’s other 57 counties, which is one of the reasons we cannot and will not force other parts of our state to shelter migrants, nor are we going to be asking these migrants to move to other parts of the state against their will.”

Local

Congressman Nick LaLota (R) of the First District visited fishermen in Montauk to discuss his efforts to preserve Long Island’s coastal habitats and aquaculture economy:

“Great to visit local fishermen while I was in Montauk. We discussed issues impacting them such as inflation and regulations. I was happy to tell them about my amendment that would ban offshore drilling in Long Island water to protect their way of life and our ecosystem,” LaLota wrote on Twitter.

The views of columnists are their own and not reflective of The Messenger LaLota (center right) with Montauk fishers (Credit - Twitter @RepLaLota)

(Left to right, Top-Bottom) Mike Pence, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramswamy, Doug Burgum, Tim Scott, Asa Hutchinson, Chris Christie (Credit: Scott Olson, Drew Angerer - Getty Images)

V.F.W. Monument Dedication at O.B. Davis

By Matt Meduri

Honoring our great Veterans is just as much an obligation as it is a right; an obligation because of the freedoms and values we possess, and a right because it is one of the many rights we enjoy that were purchased with sacrifice.

While large displays of gratitude and national pomp and circumstance are well-deserved and well-received, there’s something to be said about grassroots community efforts to ensure that the men and women who have served our country are forever honored and remembered.

A local business did just that on Saturday morning.

O.B. Davis Funeral Home on Middle Country Road in Centereach dedicated a monument at their flagpole on the front lawn of the building. A windy, rainy morning quickly turned to peaceful blue skies as the invocation was given, the monument was announced, and the volley of rifle fire sounded throughout Centereach.

The event was organized by O.B. Davis manager Ralph Ferrera and commemorated by the Commander and members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) #4927 of Centereach.

Ferrera began the ceremony by stating that this flagpole monument has been installed since the COVID-19 Pandemic, but restrictions during the virus delayed a proper dedication.

“Prior to COVID, we decided that it would be nice to have a dedication to those who have served our country, those that are currently in the military, and those that will serve in the future,” said Ferrera. “Now that we have returned to normal, it’s time that we have this occasion.”

Ferrara invoked the words of President Ronald Reagan to paint just how important the sacrifices for our country are in the long-term:

“President Ronald Reagan said ‘Freedom is never more than one generation from extinction. We didn’t pass it on to our children in our bloodstream, it must be fought for, it must be protected, and handed on to do the same. You and I have a rendezvous with destiny; we will preserve thee for our children, the last best hope on earth, or we will sentence them to take the first steps into a thousands years of darkness. If we fail, at least our children and our children’s children will say that we justified our brief moment here. We did all that could be done.’”

In his own words, Ferrara expressed his own gratitude and the respect that O. B. Davis Funeral Home pays to our Veterans:

“I am pleased today to bear witness to this dedication as a constant reminder that we must always remember that we enjoy our freedoms because of the selflessness of many who gave of themselves so that we may enjoy our lives here,” said Ferrera.

Father Joseph performed an invocation, blessing, and prayer for military members past, current, and future.

Father Joseph then read Psalm 27:3-4: “Though an my besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.”

Matt Meduri

Leah Fitzpatrick spoke as a representative from Suffolk Legislator Nick Caracappa’s (Fourth District) (C-Selden) office.

“I would like to thank you all for inviting the Legislator to speak and giving me the privilege to speak on his behalf,” said Fitzpatrick. “As Legislator Caracappa is the Chair of the Veterans Committee, this is truly a great honor for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. I know that this is a very important monument and I thank you for installing this in our town. It’s beautiful that those who visit can pay honor and tribute to those who made that sacrifice.”

Fitzpatrick presented Ferrera and the funeral home a certificate on behalf of the Suffolk County Legislature.

Legislator Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset) of the Twelfth District gave a brief speech and honored the Veterans in attendance.

“I realize the importance of a monument to our Veterans,” said Kennedy. “My father was a World War II Veteran, and he taught me the value of public service and what our Veterans do.”

Kennedy then recalled a story from her childhood when President John F. Kennedy visited the Long Island Arena. The ensuing parade featured a number of military factions, but the final group of men marched in what she described as “wellused fatigues.” She asked her father why they were not dressed as formally as the other servicemen, and her father explained what the military does and what was happening in Vietnam at the time.

“I developed from that conversation, a good two or three hours, a respect for the men and women who serve us,” said Kennedy.

Kennedy then spoke to the members of the VFW in attendance at the ceremony.

“There have been times when the Veterans have not been treated well - not just Vietnam - but other times when the respect that you all deserve has not been given to you,” said Kennedy. “During a legislative session, someone asked ‘what have the Veterans done for you?’ But I stood up in a legislative session and said that none of us would be sitting here if our Veterans did not stand up for us first. We would not be living in a free country; we would not have everything we have now. I am thankful and I will stand up for the Veterans no matter what. I am thankful to be here. God bless you all.”

Commander Jim McCain of VFW Post #4927 then gave the final speech before the dedication.

“We’ve been part of this community since 1945,” said McCain. “I would like to thank Ralph and O.B. Davis Funeral Home for inviting our Post to help dedicate this monument. This monument will honor all of our Veterans who served our country in times of peace and war. Let us always remember that.”

The speeches were concluded by a threerifle volley, a ceremony done in remembrance of the fallen. The three cartridges are seen as symbols of duty, honor, and sacrifice.

The inscription on the monument reads: “Dedicated to the men and women of our armed forces past, present, and future. Your sacrifices are not to be forgotten.”

The Messenger thanks all our great Veterans who have served, are serving, and will serve in future. We also wholeheartedly thank those who have given the ultimate sacrifice, and we hope and pray that they are never forgotten and that their sacrifices were not given in vain.

The monument can be seen at the base of the flagpole facing the main entrance to O.B. Davis Funeral Home on Middle Country Road in Centereach.

2024 Debate Shows Relative Party Unity

TheMessenger Designates an Unexpected Winner

By Matt Meduri

American political debates are sort of like going to an amusement park. We’re always excited to get there and see all the unique assets and characters to which we’re not typically accustomed. And then we get there, and we almost think “What now?” It never lives up to expectations, it’s usually more tiring than fun, we never really learn or see anything new, and all anyone complains about are the lines, lines, lines.

Lines at an amusement park are as common as they are exhausting. And written and rehearsed lines parroted by the candidates every thirty-second rebuttal they receive are just about as common and exhausting.

Yet, somehow, someone always proposes the idea of heading to an amusement park each summer. And every time, we jump in the car.

The American political debate has always been more of a spectacle than they are informative, even before the common era of political tomfoolery. It was never as much about having the candidates lay out their views and letting the public make informed decisions off of that nationally-broadcasted information as it was about zingers, rehearsed soundbytes, and gaffes. The latter three facets of a political debate have been known to make and break campaigns. Notable examples include Michael Dukakis’ (D-MA) uphill presidential bid in 1988 and Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) embarrassing repeated lines in the 2016 GOP debates ahead of the New Hampshire Primary.

Going over debate content is important, but it’s also important to understand the characters you’ll typically see at those debates, because just as the debates themselves are as formulaic as ever, so are the candidates.

Last Wednesday night saw the official launch of the 2024 Presidential campaign, as the non-incumbent party - in this case, the Republicans - squared off in the first public forum organized by the ever-wise RNC in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The elephant in the room - or not in the room - had to be addressed, and instead of devoting a solid fifteen or twenty minutes to a more substantive issue, FOX News Moderates Martha McCallum and Brett Baier felt it was necessary to quiz each candidate on their thoughts on Donald Trump.

By all qualifications, Trump should have been front-and-center on the stage. He has more than met polling and fundraising requirements, but the problem for him looms in the form of the loyalty pledge, a controversial promise to support the eventual nominee of the Republican Party, regardless of who might earn it.

Trump refused to sign the pledge, and was therefore denied participation.

Trailing in a distant second, but second nonetheless, is “America’s Governor,” Ron DeSantis (R-FL).

DeSantis has long been the darling of the right looking for Trump-policies in a more palatable body. Despite opinions of DeSantis’ awkward campaigning, many believe his timing is more his enemy than anything else. Instead of governing Florida for two more years and running in 2028, his jump into the race now seems - to some - like a misfire.

Others assert that DeSantis’ entry into the race, while a PR liability on its own, would not compare to the chastising he would have possibly received from party leadership and Democrats alike had he sat this one out. Instead of creating his own brand of politics, waiting another four years might have seen him miss his window, like Chris Christie (R-NJ).

Speaking of the beach-closing, bridge-master of everyone’s favorite state, Christie’s role in this debate - much like last time - is that of the attack dog. He knows he can’t win, party leadership knows he can’t win, and pretty much everyone you speak to knows he can’t win. Every four years, we always ask the same questions. “Who’s this guy?” “Does he think he can actually win?” “Isn’t North Dakota a myth?”

Christie isn’t in this to win, he’s in it to tank as many candidates as he can. Many ascribe the demise of Marco Rubio’s 2016 campaign to Christie’s attacks of his prepared, canned soundbytes.

Then we arrive at Asa Hutchinson, the former governor of Arkansas. In addition to being the opposite of a national mover and shaker, Hutchinson also served as head of the DEA and a Under Secretary at Homeland Security under George W. Bush.

Hutchinson touts his tenure with the Bush Administration as one of his strengths, when in the eyes of many in the GOP today, it’s a demerit. His debate performance situated from the far end of the stage only amplified his problems with almost every single talking point the others in the party attempted to make. Hutchinson and Republicans like him are finding themselves increasingly outnumbered by the more populist overtones of the Trump era. The reality is, Hutchinson is as charismatic as he is relevant; he’s not.

Hutchinson is only in the race as the establishment’s pebble in the dark chasm to see how deep their prospects are. Ten years ago, Hutchinson’s milquetoast persona might have survived the Iowa Caucus. Nowadays, it’s difficult to see him make it past Thanksgiving.

Nikki Haley is fiercely intelligent and has the actual governance necessary and appropriate for the presidency, that of a governor. In addition to serving as the Governor of South Carolina, she also served as Trump’s Ambassador to the United Nations. A skilled debater and knowledgeable on the intricacies of foreign policy, Haley is certainly not a bad choice. However, some feel she is a neoconservative like Hutchinson, comparing her to statists of administrations passed.

The only observable problem with her debate performance was that of her quote of Margaret Thatcher: “If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.” While Haley is certainly one of the most competent politicians in our current cycle - regardless of gender - the comment hearkens back to harassment some would receive for not supporting Hillary Clinton. The logic at the time stated that those opposed to Hillary were opposed to or “threatened” by a female president. Republicans actively campaign on being against cheap identity politics, so why start moving even slightly in that direction?

Haley’s snarky comment does little to remedy social divisions right now, especially since she chose the worst possible time to insert an immature comment: right when other candidates - male candidates - were being immature themselves.

Vivek Ramaswamy has been the darling of the right since before it was cool. Young, quick, successful, and a member of a minority status, Ramaswmay is the framing candidate. While he at first seemed like a long-shot, his purpose is the same: to show that the GOP is still the party of Trump’s policy - not necessarily about Trump himselfwhether he is here or not. He might not look or sound like most Republicans, but he’s for the policy that made people think twice before heading into the ballot box.

Vivek’s problem is that he sounded a lot like Trump on the debate stage, which proves another point: only Trump can be Trump. The arrogance, the immaturity, and the rudeness to his opponents, only to parlay it all into the most stunning upset in American history can only be performed by Trump. Because at the end of the day, Trump is a character, and that’s how he’s been forever. Trying to deliberately mirror those qualities doesn’t make one seem like Trump, it makes one seem arrogant, immature, and just plain rude.

While Vivek’s policies are, for the most part, sound and desirable of the modern GOP, many were put off by his demeanor and his apparent mimicry of The Donald. Regardless, Vivek’s candidacy still proves that Trump has molded the GOP into something new, a party for the Vivek’s and the Nikki’s and the Ron’s, rather than the Bush’s and the Hutchinson’s.

Former Vice President Mike Pence is also in this race, for some reason. Why have Trump when you can just have Diet Trump? Pence is the first vice president since John Nance Garner (D) in 1940 to campaign against his former boss in the same year.

Senator Tim Scott is, on paper, a more desirable pick, but the problem is his job: U.S. Senators often make the worst picks for president, and at least one runs for president every time. Ideally, a governor is better equipped to run a country. A Senator, who can routinely miss votes and not cooperate with largely no consequences doesn’t exactly speak to anti-establishment and anti-bureaucracy desires of the modern GOP. This isn’t to say Scott isn’t capable of good, true leadership, but rather he should probably try serving as governor of South Carolina before making the jump to Washington.

The one candidate who stood out, stayed out of the fights, made excellent, quick, and direct points without diverging from the spirit of the new party was North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (pictured left)

Burgum is the first candidate from the Peace Garden State to seek a major party’s nomination. His unique small-town profile, coupled with the effects of trade wars and energy crises his state has seen make him a sleeper candidate for sure.

There are always the super obscure candidates who run with some aspirations for Cabinet picks. We usually see right through them and continue with the frontrunner. Burgum can absolutely be one of the country’s most prominent movers and shakers, if given more debate time.

The Messenger is comfortable with certifying Governor Doug Burgum as the winner of the first Republican Presidential debate.

The candidates on the debate stage in Milwaukee. (Credit: Win McNamee - Getty Images)

On the Campaign Trail

Examining the ‘Safe’ Races on the 2023 Ballot

By Matt Meduri

As summer comes to a close, we enter two seasons: autumn and campaign, the latter of which is what we’ll be examining a bit closer than the other.

As prominent battlegrounds emerge, we think it’s fair to assess the races on the safer side of the campaign trail, as they make up the lion’s share of total seats on the ballot this fall. Note that The Messenger is not formally endorsing any candidates on this list. This is only a preview of the races that are not expected to be competitive.

District 3 - Legislator Jim Mazzarella (pictured right)

The Third Legislative District has been represented by Jim Mazzarella (R-Mastic) since May 2021, when he defeated former Legislator Kate Browning (D-Shirley), who was eyeing a political comeback, by ten points in a special election. Mazzarella would defeat Browning in the 2021 general election by a whopping twentysix points.

Browning ousted Peter O’Leary (R) in 2005 and held the seat until 2015.

The Third District spans from Brookhaven hamlet to Eastport along the South Shore, encompassing Mastic, Shirley, Yaphank, Moriches, Smith Point County Park, and extends north towards Manorville.

The district has since resigned its intense Democratic preference for Kate Browning and has taken up a new dark-red hue in the current political era. Mazzarella faces businessman and environmentalist Thad O’Neil (D-Brookhaven) this fall. According to O’Neil’s website, he will support the Water Quality Restoration Act for Suffolk County and prevent Republicans from weaponizing our water quality.”

O’Neil’s Instagram page has a link section that connects to his collection of seasonal menswear on Vogue. The catalog has not been updated since 2019. (pictured right)

The Messenger rates the Third District as Safe Republican.

District 4 - Nick Caracappa (pictured below)

Nestled in the heart of Central Suffolk is the Fourth Legislative District, represented by Nick Caracappa (C-Selden) .

The Fourth District stretches from Holtsville to Medford in the south, north to Selden and Coram, and contains all of Farmingville and parts of Lake Ronkonkoma.

The Fourth District was represented by Tom Muratore (R-Ronkonkoma) from 2010 until his death in 2020. Muratore won a competitive three-point race in 2009 and was elected by landslide margins in subsequent five elections.

Nick Caracappa, son of former Legislator Rose Caracappa, for whom the auditorium at the Legislature building in Hauppauge is named, won the open seat by a forty-point blowout in 2021.

The district’s makeup of working-class towns has allowed it to fit nicely into the Republican fold, especially as the GOP has re-asserted dominance across Suffolk since 2021. Caracappa’s opponent Tim Hall (D) is not actively campaigning. Regardless, The Messenger rates this race as Safe Republican.

District 8 - Anthony Piccirillo (pictured right)

Republicans recently broke a forty-year drought in the Eighth District with the election of Anthony Piccirillo (R-Holtsville) in 2019. Piccirillo almost took down well-known Legislator William Lindsay (D) in 2017, losing by just 200 votes. Piccirillo won a narrow 2019 rematch by just over 200 votes.

His 2021 re-election saw him win with 72% of the vote.

The Eighth District runs from Oakdale to Bayport along the Great South Bay, taking in Sayville. It runs from Bohemia in the west to Holbrook and Holtsville in the east, taking in some parts of Ronkonkoma in the north.

This half-Brookhaven, half-Islip district was one that was more Republican on paper, but popular, more centrist Democrats, such as Steve Levy - now a Republican - of Bayport, were able to keep the working-class populations in their fold. Piccirillo broke the streak in 2019 and then shattered the Democratic foothold in 2021.

He faces Heather Gallagher (D) this year.

The Messenger rates this seat as Safe Republican.

District 9 - Sam Gonzalez (pictured left)

The Ninth Legislative District contains one of central-western Suffolk’s bluest hamlets: Brentwood.

Now-Senator Monica Martinez (D-Brentwood) ousted incumbent Rick Montano (D) with 70% of the vote in 2013. Montano only had the Working Families endorsement. Martinez would win in her own right again in 2015, even as Montano picked up the Democratic line. She would easily

dispatch her Republican opponent with 80% of the vote in 2017.

2019 saw the election of Samuel Gonzalez (D-Brentwood) with 75% of the vote. He was reelected in 2021 with 72% of the vote.

The Ninth District runs from Bay Shore and Islip proper in the south to parts of Hauppauge in the north, containing most of Brentwood - a 72% Hispanic community - in the process.

Gonzalez faces author, RN, and life coach Teresa Bryant in 2023

The Messenger rates this seat as Safe Democrat.

District 10 - Trish Bergin (pictured right)

This Islip-based seat was once held by Minority Leader Tom Cilmi (R) during his tenure in the Legislature. He won election after election by commanding margins.

Incumbent Trish Bergin (R-East Islip) won the open seat in 2021 by a two-toone margin over Carla Simpson (D).

The L-shaped Tenth Legislative District contains MacArthur Airport in the east, extends east to Islandia, then drops directly south all the way to Great River, picking up Central Islip, Islip Terrace, and East Islip along the way.

Bergin faces Derek Stein (D-Central Islip) (pictured left), a former legislative aide to DuWayne Gregory (D) and current aide to outgoing Legislator Al Krupski (D-Peconic) of the North Forkbased First District.

The Messenger rates this seat as Safe Republican.

District 11 - Steve Flotteron (pictured right)

During the first half of the 2010s, the Eleventh District was represented by Thomas Barraga (R), who ran unopposed in his last two elections in 2013 and 2015. The 2017 saw Steve Flotteron (R-Bay Shore) ascend to the post by just over ten points, a close race for such a Republican district.

Flotteron saw an even closer eight-point race in 2019 against Joseph McDermott (D). In 2021, Flotteron won with 70% of the vote.

The Eleventh District runs from West Islip to East Islip, and north to North Babylon, containing Brightwaters and Bay Shore. The Babylon portion of this district explains the competitive edge the seat recently had. However, Flotteron appears to be in the driver’s seat again. The Messenger rates this seat as Safe Republican.

District 12 - Leslie Kennedy (pictured left)

Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset) has held this seat since 2015, after her husband John (R-Nesconset) vacated it to run for County Comptroller that year. Since then, Leslie Kennedy has never won a race with less than 65% of the vote. In 2021, she dispatched Mike Siderakis (D) with 73% of the vote.

The Twelfth District runs from Hauppauge in the west to Centereach in the east, containing Village of the Branch, Ronkonkoma, Nesconset, and Lake Grove. This is one of the most Republican parts of Suffolk County, all but ensuring Kennedy’s re-election this year.

The Messenger rates this seat as Safe Republican.

District 13 - Rob Trotta (pictured right)

The other Smithtown-based district is the Thirteenth District, a North Shore-based seat that runs from Commack to Head of the Harbor, containing Fort Salonga, Kings Park, Nissequoge, and Smithtown proper.

Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) (pictured right) was first elected in 2013 and has won with commanding margins in each election since. In 2021, he took a majority of the vote in a three-way race, a very difficult accomplishment in any jurisdiction.

Owing to the intensely Republican geography and Trotta’s baked-in incumbency, he is all but certain to win in November.

The Messenger rates this seat as Safe Republican.

District 14 - Kevin McCaffrey (pictured left)

Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst) narrowly flipped this seat in a five-point race in 2013, and won a tighter three-point contest in 2015 against Tim Sini (D), who would later be elected District Attorney in 2017. McCaffrey’s successive three campaigns would venture north of 60% of the vote.

The Fourteenth District runs from Copiague in the east to Babylon proper in the west, also containing Lindenhurst and West Babylon.

The Messenger rates this seat as Safe Republican.

Despite the safety of these races, The Messenger intends to sit down with the candidates within Brookhaven, Islip, and Smithtown for candidate spotlights ahead of the November elections.

America the Beautiful: How History Shapes our Electorate Florida – The Sunshine State

By Matt Meduri

A disorganized state for most of its early history, Florida has rebounded to the third-most populous state in the country. The urban-rural divide that once defined the state’s political landscape now appears to be at the forefront once again.

Early History - A Disorganized Territory

Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León was the first European to explore Florida in 1513, which he named for the flowery, verdant landscape he found there. St. Augustine became the first permanent settlement in the area in 1565 by the French, who had some skirmishes with the Spanish over the territory, but the Spanish retained control over Florida from the 16th Century to the 19th Century. The Spanish kept the slave trade in Florida relatively low until a brief period of British rule started in 1763.

In 1763, Spain traded Florida to Britain in exchange for Havana, Cuba, a British territory after their victory in the French and Indian War. The British divided Florida into East and West Florida, with East Florida being most of the present-day state and West Florida being the southern parts of Mississippi, Alabama, and parts of Louisiana. The divide was due to Florida being too large for the British to administer as a single unit. The British also introduced farming of sugarcane, fruits, and indigo, lumber exporting, and a system of roads.

Florida had mostly loyalist tendencies during the Revolutionary War due to large British military populations that lived in the state. Border controversies ensued as Spain was given possession of Florida, ending Britain’s brief twenty-year period of control. As the British left, so did the Loyalist population.

Since Florida essentially became a frontier after the British left, the state became a haven for runaway slaves, Native Americans - most notably the Seminole peopleand new settlers from the backwoods of Georgia and South Carolina. The Republic of West Florida survived as a two-month long republic that would later be annexed by Louisiana, and the Republic of East Florida sprang up on Amelia Island. The Seminole Wars would see the incursions of General Andrew Jackson (D-TN), who would later become the seventh President. Spain, seeing how difficult it was to maintain Florida as a colony, ceded it to the U.S. in 1821.

As Florida became a territory, internal struggles over land and profile continued. On March 3, 1845, Florida was admitted as the twenty-seventh state.

Civil War & IndustrializationA Land of Development and Tourism

By the time of statehood, half of Florida’s population was made up of slaves, most of whom worked on cotton and sugar plantations. Because of a weak central government and troubled political history, Florida had one of the highest per capita murder rates in the country before the Civil War.

Florida seceded on January 10, 1861, which led to Union conquest of its valuable port cities of Jacksonville, Key West, and Pensacola. The state hosted a few skirmishes and one major battle. The Union’s relatively easy takeover of Florida, combined with anti-secessionist tendencies before the War, made Florida abandon the Confederate effort within three years.

Reconstruction plagued Florida like all the other

Southern states. Radical Republicans amended the 13th and 14th Amendments, which alienated Democratic voters. Intraparty fighting within the GOP allowed the Democrats to retake control of the state government through voter intimidation and election fraud. By the 1880s, Florida was aligned with the Democratic “Solid South.” Florida had voted for the GOP from 18681876. From 1880-1948, Florida would back only one Republican - Herbert Hoover (R-CA) in 1928.

By 1900, Florida’s population center was close to the Georgia border, owing to its strong agricultural profile. As railroads tied the state together, the population in the southern part of the state and coastal regions exploded, mainly due to Florida’s status as a prime vacation spot. Land developers quickly flocked to Miami and Palm Beach. The state’s development was hurt by the Great Depression, but kept afloat by FDR’s (D-NY) New Deal policies.

From the 1880s, Democrats enjoyed large margins in Florida’s elections, with most counties - except for those with large black populations - voting Democratic. Florida’s status as a bellwether began to take shape in the 1900s, as William McKinley (R-OH) is, to date, the only President to win two terms without winning Florida either time. Warren Harding (R-OH) began the GOP inroads in Florida in 1920, as air conditioning and land development urbanized south Florida, flipping these counties Republican. Isolationism and sound economic doctrine of the 1920s began to chip away at the old Democratic guard.

In 1924, Calvin Coolidge (R-MA) became the last, to date, Republican to win a general election without carrying Florida. Herbert Hoover became the first Republican to carry Florida since 1876, owing to the state’s diverse population, many Northern transplants, considerable middle-class growth, and the white Democrats’ inability to counter the anti-Catholic lean of Al Smith (D-NY). Only whites who supported black disenfranchisement voted for Smith in 1928.

Florida would return to its Democratic roots from 1932-1948, voting for FDR in all four of his elections and Harry Truman (D-MO) in his one and only.

Dwight Eisenhower (R-KS) would build on Republican growth in the state by swinging the southeast corner’s liberal urban areas. The Panhandle, however, remained solidly blue. Eisenhower would carry the state by double-digits in both 1952 and 1956. Richard Nixon (RCA) narrowly carried the state against John F. Kennedy (D-MA), owing to anti-Catholic sentiments and stronglyRepublican cities of Tampa and Palm Beach. 1960 is one of just three elections, the others being 1992 and 2020, in which Florida did not back the winner of the general election.

Nixon would carry the state in 1968 on his way to the White House, with segregationist Alabama governor George Wallace (D) sweeping the Panhandle in his Independent bid. Nixon would win every county in 1972,

This is the twenty-eighth of a series column that will look at the history of all 50 States, all 5 territories, and the Capital and the influence history has on our current political environments. The aim of this column is to capture that our country is not just red or blue, but rather many shades in between. Each Lower 48 state’s current political landscape can be traced back to its early settlement and geography and its particular involvement in the Civil War, the Industrial Revolution, and the Civil Rights Era.

the only time in history a Republican has done so.

1976 saw Gerald Ford (R-MI) win all urban and suburban counties, while Jimmy Carter (D-GA) won all rural and agricultural counties. Even in Ronald Reagan’s (R-CA) 1980 landslide, Florida’s Panhandle remained Democratic.

Geography

Florida’s geography has always preceded its electoral status:

1. The Panhandle - Once solidly Democratic, now intensely Republican. The Panhandle is in the Central Time Zone, meaning if Democrats are behind statewide, it usually means they can’t get ahead.

2. Northern Central Florida - Home to Gainesville and Jacksonville, two Democratic-leaning cities amidst Republican suburbs and exurbs.

3. Tampa Bay - Home to Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, two significant bellwethers, home to diverse populations, tourist town, and retirement communities.

4. Central Florida - A cultural and political mix anchored by bluetrending Orlando

5. South Florida - Retirement communities like Sarasota in the northern part, and red-trending Miami. Home to a vibrant Cuban and Latino population that has raced to the right in the Trump Era.

Current Political Leanings - A Red State in the Making

The urban-rural divide we see nationally took a while to catch up to Florida. Bill Clinton (D-AR) only won Florida once in 1996. George Bush (R-TX) would carry it twice, then Barack Obama (D-IL) would carry it twice. Donald Trump defied the polls and pundits by appealing to the state’s older population, rural voters, and suburbs. Despite losing the 2020 race, he doubled his margin in Florida against Joe Biden. Hillary Clinton carried Miami-Dade County by thirty points in 2016; Joe Biden won it by just seven points in 2020.

Despite this, Biden was able to flip Pinellas County (St. Petersburg), Duval County (Jacksonville), and Seminole County (Orlando), the last of which had not voted Democratic since 1948. While the college-educated suburbs begin to trend Democratic for the first time since the 1940s, the rural regions have only gotten redder. However, Florida’s new red hue is owed to the large Cuban and Latino populations who disagree with Democrats’ national standings on open immigration and more socialist tendencies. Governor Ron DeSantis (R) won the closest gubernatorial election of the 2018 cycle, only to be reelected in 2022 by the largest margin for a Republican since 1868. He became the first Republican to win Miami-Dade County since 2002 and Palm Beach County for the first time since 1982.

Gubernatorial elections are often more reflective of candidate quality and local issues, while Senate races tend to be more in line with a state’s political lean. That same night, Senator Marco Rubio (R) won his election by seventeen points, also carrying Miami-Dade County. He became the first Republican in state history to win three consecutive terms to the U.S. Senate. This has led many to believe that Florida has realigned to become a new red state.

Democrats held both Senate seats from 1879-1969. They last held both in 1981. Republicans currently hold both, after Rick Scott (R) ousted Bill Nelson (D) in 2018.

Democrats governed the state from 1877-1967. They last governed it in 1999 and have not been able to win back the seat since.

Last year, Republicans took an advantage in voter registration for the first time in the state’s history. Early campaign reports for the 2024 race do not show Democrats prioritizing Florida. As Republicans make inroads with Latino voters and retake the classicallyRepublican cities, it seems Democrats will be outnumbered here for a good while.

Brookhaven Hwy. Dept. Completes Pedestrian Safety Upgrades at 20 Intersections

The Brookhaven Highway Department recently completed pedestrian safety upgrades at sixteen unsignalized and four signalized crosswalk locations across Brookhaven Town.

The additional safety measures added to the already signalized intersections included: LED pedestrian signals with countdown timer assemblies; Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant pedestrian push buttons with audible features; thermoplastic reflectorized crosswalk pavement markings; and high visibility signage. In addition, curb ramps were reconstructed to ensure they are ADA compliant as well.

Work completed at unsignalized crosswalk locations included: installation of rectangular rapid flashing beacons at the crosswalk locations; ADA compliant pedestrian push buttons; high visibility crosswalk signage; thermoplastic reflectorized crosswalk pavement markings; and ADA compliant sidewalk curb ramps.

The Brookhaven Highway Department was awarded grant funding for this project from the New York State Department of Transportation in response to the Local Call for Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (PSAP) projects. The overall construction cost was $1.3 million; nearly 80% was funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) with a local Town match.

“The additional safety measures and upgrades completed at these intersections – many of which are located at public schools and Town parks – are intended to increase visibility and alert motorists when there is a pedestrian in the crosswalk,” said Superintendent Dan Losquadro (R-Shoreham).

Locations of the improvements made at signalized intersections include Ruland Road and Hawkins Road in Selden; Pawnee Avenue and Mastic Road in Mastic; Division Road and Ronkonkoma Avenue in Lake Ronkonkoma; and Station Road and Farber Drive in North Bellport.

Locations of improvements made at mid-block,

unsignalized crosswalks include: 43rd Street and Sunset Drive in Centereach; Oxhead Road between Arthur Lane and Hollingsworth Place in Centereach; Blue Point Avenue between Oyster Cove Lane and Madison Street – North in Blue Point; Blue Point Avenue between Oyster Cove Lane and Madison Street – South in Blue Point; Christian Avenue between Knoll Top Road and Hollow Road in Stony Brook; North Coleman Road between Donwood Avenue and Lake Grove Street in Centereach; Norwood Avenue between Sage

Road and Kennedy Road – West in Port Jefferson Station; Norwood Avenue between Kennedy Road and Sage Road – East in Port Jefferson Station; Hospital Road between Pondview Drive and Fairfax Road in East Patchogue; Jayne Boulevard and Newport Drive in Terryville; Adelaide Avenue between Montauk Highway and Montauk Avenue in East Moriches; Mount Sinai Coram Road between Route 25A and Jesse Way – North in Mount Sinai; and, Teller Avenue between Homestead Drive and Margaret Drive in Coram.

Port Jeff Elks Lodge Stuffs

Backpacks for Back-to-School Drive

Port Jeff Elks Lodge 2138 stuffed 192 backpacks for a back-to-school backpack drive. The backpacks will go to three local school districts: Middle Country School District, Longwood School District and Comsewogue School District.

They will be distributed to district children in need of school supplies. Exalted Ruler Chris Roache and twenty-five members, as well as two middle school students, Emma Rosario (Dawnwood Middle School) and Ariana Smith (Selden Middle School), helped stuff backpacks.

Highway Superintendent Daniel Losquadro and Councilman Dan Panico in front of the pedestrian safety upgrades made on Adelaide Avenue in East Moriches (Credit: Office of Dan Losquadro)

Senate Democrats Take One More Step Toward Socialized Medicine

By Sally C. Pipes

Medicare the power to set the prices of certain medicines.

Those price controls have yet to go into effect. But Democrats already want more. They’ve introduced new legislation in both chambers of Congress that would amp up those price controls — and even permit the government to refuse to cover drugs in order to drive a harder bargain with pharmaceutical companies. They say their bills would “build on” the IRA.

That law, which President Biden signed last August, subjects 10 medicines to price controls under Medicare in January 2026. The government will set the prices for 15 more in 2027, another 15 in 2028, and 20 more per year in 2029 and beyond.

The SMART Prices Act would take things even further. It would empower Medicare to set prices for 20 drugs in 2026, instead of the current ten under the IRA. In 2027 and every year after, that number would jump to 40 — many more than the IRA stipulated. The House bill is even more radical — extending Medicare’s price controls to the private insurance market. The SMART Prices Act would also subject medicines to price controls five years after approval by the Food and Drug Administration. That’s up to eight years quicker than under the IRA and significantly sooner than when generic or biosimilar competitors can enter the market.

This provision would gut the generics industry. Generic firms face substantial upfront costs.

They recapture those investments by underpricing their wares relative to branded drugs and capturing a small margin on each sale. Patients, of course, benefit from those lower prices.

But if Washington sets a rock-bottom price on a brand-name drug, there will be no incentive for a generics manufacturer to enter the market.

That’s problematic for several reasons. For starters, the government’s mandated price may not be as low as a competitive market could generate. So, patients may end up paying more than they should.

Further, a market without competing drug makers is less resilient. If price controls result in a branded company being the only producer of a drug, then a production issue could render a drug that patients need inaccessible.

The IRA’s price controls have already led a number of pharmaceutical companies to curtail research into new drugs. In May, the CEO of Novartis announced that the company would drop a few cancer drugs from its development pipeline. Alnylam cited the IRA when it put development of a rare eye disease drug on hiatus last fall.

How can Democrats look at this decline in drug research — and decide that more price controls are an appropriate response? Patients will pay the price for this misguided approach.

Sally C. Pipes is President, CEO, and Thomas W. Smith Fellow in Health Care Policy at the Pacific Research Institute. Her latest book is False Premise, False Promise: The Disastrous Reality of Medicare for All (Encounter 2020). Follow her on Twitter @sallypipes.

Thursday, August 31, 2023

Conservatives Call On House Republicans To Open An Impeachment Inquiry Against President Biden

Overview - AMAC - The Association of Mature American Citizens

The Association of Mature American Citizens represents Americans 50 plus. AMAC is centered on American values, freedom of the individual, free speech, and exercise of religion, equality of opportunity, sanctity of life, rule of law, and love of family, with benefits at all levels. AMAC plays a vital role in helping build the services that will enrich the lives of America’s seniors. AMAC Action, a 501 (C)(4) advocates for issues important to AMAC’s membership on Capitol Hill and locally through grassroots activism. To Learn more, visit www.amac.us

By Outside Contributor | AMAC with permission of The Conservative Action Project

Recent revelations from the House Committee on the Judiciary, the House Committee on Ways and Means, the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of Government have established without question that Joe Biden has been engaged in criminal misconduct for decades, and that he lied to the American people about his son Hunter Biden’s criminal conduct and his own culpability and involvement in the Biden crime family business. The findings also reveal ongoing unlawful actions directed by the Biden White House to suppress the free speech rights of the American people and special targeting of those who dare to espouse opinions and views the Biden White House doesn’t agree with.

The evidence continues to mount – and can no longer be ignored.

The American people demand accountability instead of the ongoing coverup by the most partisan Attorney General in history, Merrick Garland, and the hyper-partisan, leftist-dominated Department of Justice.

Joe Biden is guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors, warranting the opening of an impeachment inquiry, which must ultimately result in impeachment by the House and removal by the United States Senate of Joe Biden as President of the United States.

An impeachment inquiry into the following recent revelations will easily produce a Bill of Particulars for the Biden impeachment resolution. Joe Biden:

• Lied about his role with Hunter Biden’s business dealings, and clearly allowed his son and his brother to corruptly sell access to him as a high-ranking government official

• Lied about Hunter Biden’s laptop, calling it a “Russian plant” in a debate watched by 73 million people

• Directed a presidential campaign that colluded with current and former members of US intelligence agencies to interfere with the 2020 general election, and the leader of the scheme was rewarded with the position of Secretary of State of the United States Benefited from a web of offshore and shell company bank accounts involving multiple Biden family members

• Directed a White House that, according to a federal district judge, wrongly pressured social media platforms to suppress the free speech rights of the American people related to elections, COVID-19, and vaccines

• Directed that Department of Justice take the position in a court filing that Florida’s new law prohibiting Chinese purchase or ownership of land is a violation of the Fair Housing Act and the United States Constitution

• Appointed prosecutors who were directed to ignore Hunter Biden criminal activity and instead proposed a sweetheart plea agreement that would not be available to any other citizen, and that was so objectionable that the Judge refused to accept it. The egregious plea agreement warrants immediate investigation into the role of the Biden White House with Biden political appointees related to the development of the plea agreement.

• Directed the collapse of American sovereignty by opening the United States border, allowing more than 5 million undocumented persons to enter the United States illegally, putting American lives at risk through human trafficking, the illegal import and distribution of fentanyl and other illegal drugs, and creating chaos in cities and communities across the country, including New York City, which has recently pleaded with President Biden to stop sending illegal immigrants to the city as it can no longer accommodate the massive number of illegals swarming its city

• Directed and is presiding over illegally transporting US military personnel across state lines to encourage and perform abortions in violation of federal law

• Disregarded the rulings of the United States Supreme Court regarding his politically motivated $430 billion student loan forgiveness program and has announced yet another illegal forgiveness of student loan debt in violation of the Supreme Court’s determination that the President has no such authority to abrogate the loan contracts

Presided over the disastrous withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan that cost the lives of 13 American soldiers and turned over $85 billion worth of US taxpayer funded military weapons and material to the Taliban, a violent extremist group

• Decimated the US military through his imposition of woke policies that have resulted in the lowest number of military recruits since the military draft ended in 1973

• Initiated and continues ties to China for his personal financial benefit that have left the United States vulnerable to Chinese infiltration and aggression, as evidenced by the “spy balloon” and attacks by China

on the US dollar as the world’s economic currency

This list is far from exhaustive. In short, there has never been a more corrupt occupant of the White House than the sitting President of the United States, Joe Biden.

But rather than investigating any of these high crimes and misdemeanors, Attorney General Merrick Garland, Special Counsel Jack Smith, and the entire Department of Justice apparatus have unleashed the might and power of federal law enforcement against President Biden’s political enemies, to remove from the 2024 presidential campaign former President Donald Trump, and to protect Joe Biden from being held accountable for his crimes, while falsifying allegations against the former President who is Biden’s chief political rival for the 2024 election.

House Republicans must not allow Joe Biden and his criminal enterprise family to escape scrutiny, prosecution and punishment for actual crimes against the American people while the Biden Administration is allowed to advance politically motivated proceedings against former President Trump and other citizens who dare to oppose the Biden Administration.

The House must take steps to protect our nation from these attacks and criminal enterprises by Joe Biden, his family, and his political appointees who are, by their actions, turning the United States of America from a Constitutional Republic into a banana republic.

It is high time for Congress to pursue the high crimes that are becoming ever more apparent every day.

Lawsuit Shakes Up Suffolk Leg. Race

Suffolk County Announces $20 Million In Second Round Of Opioid Grant Funding

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D-West Babylon) joined County Legislators, health officials, and victim’s advocates to announce the allocation of $20 million as part of the second round of opioid grant funding resulting from a landmark court victory and award settlements from opioid manufacturers, distributors, and retail pharmacies.

By Matt Meduri

Perhaps one of the most competitive races in the Suffolk County Legislature this year has received a massive shakeup.

Democratic candidate Sidney Joyner is facing a lawsuit from Republicans that alleges that he does not live within the boundaries of the Sixteenth Legislative district.

The horseshoe-shaped Sixteenth District stretches from Brentwood to West Hills and takes in Huntington Station and Elwood.

Incumbent Legislator Manuel Esteban, Sr. (R-East Northport) won his first term in 2021 by ousting Deputy Presiding Officer Susan Berland (D) by a razor-thin margin. He has been presumed to be the most vulnerable Republican legislator in a year the GOP is trying to grow their majority.

Esteban’s incumbency also helps that effort as Republicans put up a candidate or incumbent in every district this year. Meanwhile, two Democrats are termlimited, one is retiring, and one is seeking another office.

Joyner’s legal troubles stem from the Suffolk County charter, which stipulates a candidate for County Legislature must live in the district for at least one year before making the run for office.

“I’ll be in the district at the time of the vote,” says Joyner. He also says he is buying a home there.

Steven Losquadro, attorney for the plaintiff and counsel to the Suffolk County Republican Committee, says that Joyner’s candidacy violates the county charter.

Keith Davies, a spokesman for the Suffolk County Democratic Committee, says that the lawsuit should have been filed when Joyner initially filed to run for the seat earlier this year. “They had 14 days after Sidney Joyner was on the petition and submitted his signatures to be on the ballot, and that is the amount of time to challenge an issue like this,” he said.

The possibility of Joyner’s suspension from the ballot also creates a nightmare scenario for Democrats in that they might not be able to contest this highly competitive seat and stunt Republican gains this year. Republicans are wellequipped to flip the First, Fifth, and Sixth Legislative Districts, adding to their current elevent-seat majority.

The Messenger currently rates this seat as Toss Up, but will make an appropriate ratings change when more information is available.

The application, now live, is open to any entity, including non-profits, healthcare systems, and public and private agencies, that provide services in relation to the opioid epidemic, including, prevention, education, treatment, and recovery.

Suffolk County was the first county in New York State to sue drug makers in connection with the opioid crisis. The County has since reached settlement agreements with major opioid distributors and major retail pharmacies. These muchneeded funds will assist the County in the ongoing battle against the opioid crisis, along with providing assistance to those who have been affected.

and guidelines for the use of the opioid settlement dollars. Their comprehensive report was released on July 25, 2022, and quickly followed by a first-round funding announcement of $25 million.

In the first round of funding, Suffolk County awarded $25 million to thirtynine programs, both new and existing, for up to three years. An additional $11,225,000 was allocated to four capital projects. These previous funding awards will make a significant impact in advancing prevention and treatment efforts throughout the county.

The focus of the initial round of proposals included prevention, harm reduction, treatment, recovery, and various concepts such as vocational training, youth prevention, family counseling, peer support services, mobile response, housing, education, and workforce development. The awardees thus far represent a diverse range of organizations including not-forprofits, community-based organizations, hospital systems, county departments, and town treatment and youth programs.

“We all know someone in our lives who has been impacted by the opioid epidemic, and these funds are going to go a long way in providing resources and giving residents options in their fight against addiction,” said Legislator and Minority Leader Jason Richberg (D-Babylon) (pictured below) of the

Fifteenth District. “The goal is not only to have an immediate impact, but to have a long-standing impact and make sure

the funds go to organizations and groups who are on the frontlines and can have a tangible effect and help change lives. If someone wants help, we have a duty to make sure that help is available and easily accessible.”

“The previous round of opioid

“It is crucial that we continue our fight against the opioid epidemic and provide essential support to those affected by addiction,” said Executive Bellone (pictured above). “The $20 million in grant funding being offered serves as a critical lifeline in this ongoing fight that will allow us to expand prevention efforts, enhance treatment options, and strengthen support services for those among us who have been devastated by this tragedy.”

Agencies can submit proposals to address the opioid crisis through the expansion of existing programs, the establishment of new programs, as well as proposals that encourage innovation. A selection panel, comprised of the County Executive’s Office, the Presiding Officer, the Minority Leader, and the Health Commissioner, or their designees, along with a victim advocate, will review the applications in conjunction with substance use disorder experts at the Health Department.

Interested parties can apply through the proposal portal, which went live August 25 and will remain available until close of business on September 29.

Since the formation of The Suffolk County Opioid Task Force in 2021, created by County Executive Bellone, the county has made remarkable progress. The Task Force, through extensive collaboration with local experts and stakeholders, developed a guidance document outlining the goals

settlement funds went directly into our communities that were hit hardest by the opioid crisis,” said Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mt. Sinai) (pictured above) of the Sixth District. “We received 111 applications from 77 different organizations, with proposals that focused on programs for prevention and harm reduction as well as treatment and recovery programs for those struggling with substance abuse. With this next round of $20 million in funding, we have the opportunity to make even greater strides as we continue to combat the opioid crisis. I would like to encourage all community-based organizations, hospitals, county departments, treatment facilities and youth-prevention programs to apply.”

Rebecca Sanin President/CEO of the Health & Welfare Council of Long Island said: “The second round of funding for organizations that prevent, treat and honor the lives of our Suffolk County neighbors battling the disease of addiction is sorely needed and welcomed by the nonprofit community whose vital missions are focused on promotion of recovery and restoration of hope for families and communities. The escalated need for these services is impacting families, schools, the regional workforce and communities and these landmark dollars represent a vital opportunity to build a sustainable, safe and healthy future in Suffolk County.”

“It is crucial that we continue our fight against the opioid epidemic and provide essential support to those affected by addiction. The $20 million in grant funding being offered serves as a critical lifeline in this ongoing fight that will allow us to expand prevention efforts, enhance treatment options, and strengthen support services for those among us who have been devastated by this tragedy.”

Suffolk

County Executive Steve Bellone

Fine Dining at Home

Chicken and Potatoes in Garlic Parmesan Sauce

By Sergio A. Fabbri

MAIN INGREDIENTS: (6 servings)

• 6 Bone-In Chicken Thighs

• 2 Onions (finely diced)

• 2 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning (Oregano, Garlic Powder, Red Pepper Flakes, Parsley, Thyme, and Basil) (to taste)

• Salt and Pepper (to taste)

• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

• 3 Cups Baby Spinach (chopped)

• 16 oz. Baby Potatoes (halved)

GARLIC PARMESAN SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter

• 4 Cloves Garlic (minced)

• 2 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour

• 1 Teaspoon dried Thyme

• 1 1/2 Cup Chicken Broth

• 1/2 Cup Half and Half

• 1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

• Salt (to taste)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Lightly oil a 9x13 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.

3. Season chicken with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, to taste.

4. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a

large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken, and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 min. per side; set aside.

5. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet. Add onions and sautée them stirring until cooked about 2 minutes, stir in spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to wilt, about 2 minutes; set aside.

6. To make the garlic parmesan cream sauce, melt butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, for about 1-2 minutes. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.

7. Gradually whisk in chicken broth, thyme and basil. Cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in half and half and Parmesan until slightly thickened, about 1-2 min. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk as needed; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

8. Place chicken in a single layer into the prepared baking dish. Top with potatoes, spinach and sauce.

9. Place into oven and roast until completely cooked through, reaching an internal temp of 165 degrees F, about 25-30 minutes.

10. Serve immediately, garnish with fresh parsley over the dish, if desired.

This handed-down classic French-side of the family dish is not only a favorite, for being delicious, but also for being easy to make. (Total time taken: 1 hour)

TOWNLINE RAIL: ABOUT C&D DEBRIS

C&D,

by DEC

land clearing

definition, is uncontaminated debris generated from construction, demolition, remodeling and

Typical C&D debris includes brick, concrete and other masonry products, drywall, lumber and roofing materials

Materials not accepted as C&D include: asbestos, corrugated cardboard, fluorescent lights, electrical fixtures containing hazardous materials, furniture, tires, fuel tanks and household waste

C&D debris in an enclosed facility or sitting short-term in covered rail cars does not present a threat to the aquifer

Road Less Traveled: New York to California

By Matt Meduri

Too often, we have to be reminded just how lucky and blessed we are to live in a country like the United States. While it’s not a perfect place, there’s a myriad of reasons why it’s the most emigrated-to country on the planet. Apart from opportunity and unique liberties, the United States has a geographic corner on the world tourism market that makes it truly one-of-a-kind.

Deserts, boreal forests, tropical paradises, mountains, plains, lakes, oceans, and even the Arctic, the United States is home to the most diverse sets of landscapes in the world.

And with a rich history, diverse cultures, and regional touchstones that can change just by crossing a county line, each one of the fifty states is different from the last.

Unfortunately, too many people enjoy writing off Middle America and some of the smaller, more obscure regions in favor of the more highly-trafficked locales. Those states might be highly-trafficked for a reason, but it does not disqualify the others from “hidden gem” status.

And from my personal travels, I would say not by a long shot.

During the last week of June, I was approached by a family member - my favorite cousin, no less - who moved to California last year with an interesting proposition: to assist her and her friend in a cross-country trek to Lake Tahoe.

The cross-country trip is an epitome of American travel culture, with some saying you can’t live in the United States without having done it at least once.

For years, I have been set on making the drive, but the correct timing and context had not lined up, and at first, I was certain they would not align this year. By exploring career opportunities, working a part-time job for a family business, and contributing more for your favorite local newspaper, I was fairly certain that I could not just drop everything and drive to California.

It turns out, I can, and without much impact to my typical responsibilities.

My cousin, however, presented a catch: that I employ the persona of a high-class chauffeur, going back to a joke dating back to my designated-driver days of college. Being a helpless people-pleaser, I got my finest suit pressed and dug out my old hat and aviators.

And with that, we set out on June 25 for one of the best trips I’ve been on. With only six days to make it to California, we needed to make every minute count.

Pennsylvania is fairly nondescript, especially since I’ve been there dozens of times. An overnight stay in the cute town of Bloomsburg allowed us to spend the

first full day on the road crossing the Ohio border. After a quick stop at Waffle House outside Youngstown, we hiked up to Cleveland, just to say that we’ve been there.

With Ohio being just as nondescript as, if not more than, Pennsylvania, we made it to Indiana. I had never visited the Hoosier State before, and while the northern stretch of I-80 isn’t exactly the most scenic route, we did get to stop off in Elkhart for the must-visit Cracker Barrel.

No city personifies the collapse of the Rust Belt better than Gary, Indiana. Once a vibrant Chicago suburb built on steel, the city is now a hollowed-out shell of its former self. This was definitely one of the lower parts of the country I have personally seen.

After a quick stop in Gary, we had crossed the border into Illinois with great views of the Windy City on our way into Wicker Park. A few hours in Chicago required a stop at Lou Malnati’s Deep Dish Pizza. Not wanting to stay in the city too late, we drove an hour out to the quieter, safer suburb of Naperville for our second hotel stop.

Our third day was initially estimated to be one of the more uneventful ones, but turned out to be one of our favorites of the trip. Northern Illinois was not only flat, but somewhat obscured from Canadian wildfire smoke. While comparatively bland, it was not ugly or worthless like many coastal residents assert.

Crossing the Mississippi River meant crossing the border into Iowa, one of the states I’ve been the least keen on visiting. We had lunch in the riverside town of Le Clair and stopped in the Des Moines suburb of Urbandale a few hours later. Driving through the southern-central part of the state was a great way to see just how adorable Iowa is. Rolling, green hills as far as the eye can see, with wide open skies and wind turbines dotting the landscape is what you’ll notice if you ever take the drive.

The cute town of Casey sat on the state’s western end. A quiet, unassuming stop off the interstate, it is truly the epitome of small-town America.

Overall, we were completely surprised at how pretty Iowa is. While certainly not a top-tourist destination, it was absolutely not wasted time in the slightest. I would prefer a drive through Iowa over a drive through Maryland any day.

Crossing the Missouri River led us to our favorite and most surprising part of the trip: Nebraska. I had never imagined Nebraska would even be worth a serious visit, but it is easily in my top-five favorite states I have visited so far.

Omaha is a clean, safe, and entertaining city. We hit

up the Nite Owl, a bar in the business district. (I had to have a drink in my chauffeur uniform as a joke on the bartender and patrons). Lincoln, Grand Island, and North Platte are fine towns as well, with a charming MiddleAmerica feel that still retains their classical frontier-like personalities from decades passed.

Nebraska turned out to be the biggest surprise of the trip, with cheap goods and some of the nicest people in the country. We’re glad we were routed north of tornado warnings in Kansas. If you’re interested in doing the cross-country drive yourself, definitely do not sleep on Nebraska.

Fantastic lightning storms greeted us as we entered Colorado, for our third stopover. We spent two days in the art district of Denver before heading to our secondfavorite location: Breckenridge. A mountain town with chalet-themed buildings, great homemade products, and fantastic food, Breckenridge and the surrounding towns of Silver Plume, Eagle, Vail, and Wolcott are some of the most picture-perfect locales I’ve ever seen in the United States.

An overnight drive into Utah landed us in Spanish Fork, about an hour south of Salt Lake City. With just a day left of driving, we decided to soldier on towards our destination. We stopped in Provo, Tooele, and the Bonneville Salt Flats before taking the scenic I-80 route through northern Nevada. Sparse, flat valleys surrounded by mountains, this was probably one of my favorite sections of I-80. We were treated to views in Wells and Winnemucca and a beautiful sunset in Fernley.

We reached Reno by sundown and made it to Truckee, California, by dark.

The next day was spent relaxing and recovering before I had to race to the airport to make it home in time for the Fourth of July. A quick stop at In-N-Out Burger and a breeze through security at Reno airport put me on the next red-eye to JFK.

All in all, this is my favorite trip I’ve been on so far. A solid week on the open road with great company and a simple mission is the best remedy for a stressed mind and a crowded plate. There’s also no better way to truly understand and connect with your country than to explore as much of it as you can.

And with the parts of the country we saw, we definitely took the road less traveled.

If you have any questions or want information and tips regarding travel in the United States, please feel free to contact me at matthewmeduri@aol.com

A lightning storm over Julesburg, Colorado (Credit: Matt Meduri)

Clouds after a storm in Wolcott, Colorado (Credit: Matt Meduri)

One-Season-Wonders

By Kaitlyn Foley

I have commitment issues, I’ll admit it. This is because once I am committed to something, my brain will not let me think of anything else other than seeing my commitment through. Thus, I’ve developed a love for oneseason-wonders: TV shows that do not require too much commitment before beginning. If I love it, there is only one season. If I hate it, well then, I know why it only lasted one season.

I’m keen on one-season-wonders because it allows me to enjoy watching TV without it feeling like a job (maybe that’s just a personal problem), but nonetheless I know I am not alone. Pushing through nineteen seasons of Grey’s Anatomy was a mountain I did not sign up to climb. When I started watching, I was in middle school. My preteen self was unaware of my commitment issues and thought ‘why not?’.

I fell in love with McDreamy, and Meredith became my person. I flew through the eight seasons that were out at the time. However, as more seasons came out, and I grew up, I became less and less infatuated with the characters, and more aware of other shows that better suited my interests. Around Season 14 I realized I was not quite enjoying the show as much as I used to. However, Season 15 was announced and coming out in a few months. Some might ask, ‘why didn’t you just stop?’. I physically could not. I sat through the next four seasons, completely out of tune, barely paying attention. It became a job for me to finish, but something in me said ‘see

it through’. This voice isn’t as daunting during one-season-wonders.

As such a broad and creative genre, SciFi has a huge inventory of great shows that have tried and failed. Not because they are bad, but because their competition was better. Among my favorites is StarCrossed. When an alien spacecraft lands in six-year-old Emery’s town resulting in an immediate battle, she befriends one of the young Atrians, whom she helps until authorities capture him. Ten years later, a group of Atrian teens is allowed to enroll in the high school to test the ability of the two species to mix, and Emery learns that Roman, the boy she helped, wasn’t killed — as she had thought — but kept in an internment camp with the rest of the aliens. The two rekindle their relationship, while animosity continues to grow between the two communities, putting Roman and Emery’s bond — and the chance for peace — to the test.

Though the show is geared more towards young adults, as most CW Network shows are, I did catch my 60-year-old father watching from the kitchen. Take that how you may. Freaks and Geeks is a one-season-wonder that should have been much more. Growing up circa 1980, Sam Weir and his misfit high-school pal will probably become new media millionaires, but for now, they are stuck in high school, where the bullies are stronger, and the girls are a foot taller. Meanwhile, Sam’s older sister is navigating high school with her kid brother now in the same halls. This drama is funny and relevant with a sprinkle of nostalgia. This show was by far

a favorite of mine, and of Rotten Tomatoes, who awarded it a 100% on the tomatometer. Freaks and Geeks can be found on Hulu and Prime Video.

Everybody loves a great comedy, especially ones that are not extended too long. Girlboss is the perfect example. Inspired by Sophia Amoruso’s best-selling book, this series follows the rise of Amoruso’s multi-million-dollar fashion empire, Nasty Gal. Sophia, a rebellious, broke anarchist who decides to start selling vintage clothing online. As her passion — and retail fashion empire — begins to grow, Sophia unexpectedly becomes a businesswoman, who starts realizing the value (and difficulties) of being the boss of her own life. Girlboss can be watched on Netflix.

Crime fighting and FBI shows can feel a bit overdone. As somebody who has watched them all, I can assure you this next one-season-wonder is different. Putting an insider twist on characters and pulling the plot lines in unexpected directions makes it feel new and is extremely entertaining.

The Night Agent follows an FBI agent hired to do an undesirable and seemingly pointless job. While monitoring an emergency line, the FBI agent answers a call that plunges him into a deadly conspiracy involving a mole at the White House. The series can be watched on Netflix and came out within this calendar year. Though the story does not end on a cliffhanger, I’m secretly holding onto hope there will be another season.

A show with one season does not mean it is bad, in the same way multiple seasons does not make a show good. Oneseason-wonders are a favorite of mine, as well as my fellow binge-watchers who can’t make it through nineteen seasons of Grey’s Anatomy

dgim-studio on Freepik

Crisis Averted: Fall Sports Are Back On!

By James Haupt

Section XI nailed a buzzer beater as they have finally reached a contract agreement with their officials. This comes nearly a week before the fall season starts up allowing all Section XI student-athletes and coaches to focus on their upcoming year.

After months of seemingly hopeless negotiations between Section XI and the Presidents’ Council of Suffolk County Officials, a deal has been reached. The original deal started on July 1, 2018, and expired on June 30 of this year.

Officials were reluctant with the new offer due to the harsh conditions they have continuously dealt with. Every time they officiate a game, they put themselves at risk with parents, coaches and players. They hear the screaming, cursing and ridiculing at all levels and it has only gotten worse.

The Presidents’ Council of Suffolk County Officials was seeking a raise and Section XI has finally proposed an offer on which they could agree. This new threeyear deal consists of a $3 raise for each game in all sports for the first year. This is then followed by a $5 raise per game for all sports in the second and third years of the deal.

Is this the deal the officials were looking for? Not exactly. This raises the question as to why they accepted the deal. At the end of the day, it’s about the athletes, and it’s hard for officials to deny them the opportunity to play this season.

The deal leaves the studentathletes happy as they will get a full season under their belt. This is especially significant for rising seniors who will be able to compete for a state championship before heading off to college.

“As a former high school athlete, turned collegiate, it means the world. There are a lot of studentathletes who play the game because it’s their life. Being deprived of something that they devote their whole lives to can be detrimental,” says KJ Dow, a former studentathlete from Commack High School and St. Dominic’s High School.

“I experienced a shortened season during the COVID lockdown, and I can say first-hand it hurts the recruiting process, not just for incoming seniors, but for all levels of High School sports. I’m thankful that they resolved this issue so the fall season will go as planned,” Dow added.

With the fall sports season starting, it is great news that a deal has been reached. Only one question remains, however. Will the disrespect and unfair conditions towards officials finally come to an end, or will it be more of the same? There may be more information to come regarding this matter.

Good luck to all student-athletes competing this year and, players and fans, remember to respect the officials, without them, there is no game

New York Red Bulls Have a Brush with Greatness

By James

The G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) of soccer has finally made his way to New York (technically New Jersey) as the New York Red Bulls hosted Lionel Messi and Inter Miami FC on August 26.

This was the next stop in a Messi-magic run this summer with Miami ever since he joined the team on July 21. Since then, he has taken a team that was in last place in Major League Soccer (MLS) to win the Leagues Cup – an international soccer tournament that includes the MLS and the top division in Mexico, Liga MX.

This game against New York had a different feel to it, however, as it was the first league game Messi has played this summer for Inter Miami, marking it as his official MLS debut. It resulted in a 2-0 Miami shutout, keeping their win streak alive. The first goal came in the thirty-seventh minute from 20-year-old Midfielder, Diego Gomez, who played in his first game of his career.

Messi didn’t start this game, but he checked in during the fifty-ninth minute. Of course, he still had to leave his own mark on the field. He scored a beautiful goal in the eighty-ninth minute to seal it which was created by a perfect pass he made earlier in the play. This was Messi’s eleventh goal for Inter Miami in just nine games.

On paper, this looked like a game the Red Bulls should’ve won. Possession was basically even for both teams, with the Red Bulls having a slight edge. They had 4 shots on goal with 13 attempts compared to Miami’s 3 shots on goal across 6 attempts. They also had a huge advantage on corner kicks with 10 compared to Miami’s 1. It simply came down to finishing their chances as Miami managed to bury 2 of their 3 shots on goal while the Red Bulls missed 9 shots and had 4 shots saved.

This loss has placed the Red Bulls in eleventh place thus far with a record of 7-8-10 (29 points). Despite this they are still only 3 points away from making

the playoffs, which is much more doable compared to Miami.

Messi may have taken this team out of last place with this win, but they still have ways to go if they want to make a miracle run for the playoffs. They sit in fourteenth place now with a 6-3-14 record (21 points). With just eleven matches remaining, it’s possible, but it would be such a historic run.

Miami’s status as the worst team in the MLS proves how impressive this run is and how impactful a player like Messi is. He has carried this team in every way possible and has just simply made his teammates better. Messi also managed to bring some of his former FC Barcelona stars in Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

He has completely changed the culture in Miami and in the MLS as a whole. Everybody wants to go to Miami games to see “La Pulga” play in person. Ticket prices have skyrocketed. The cheapest tickets have risen from around $29 all the way to $544, and it’s worth it.

“Messi is one of those players who everybody knows, even if you’re not a soccer fan. As a child playing soccer, I was amazed at how one player could have such an impact.” says Ava Muffoletto, a soccer fan and player from Kings Park.

“Now as a college soccer player it’s astounding that he is so prolific and monumental to the game. It’s crazy to think that I can have a chance to see him play in person in my home state.”

Messi’s impact on the soccer world is truly remarkable. Inter Miami’s next game comes against Nashville FC on Wednesday, August 30, followed by LAFC on September 3. The Red Bulls take on New England in their next game followed by Philadelphia on September 3. Make sure to tune in to both teams the rest of the season as they push for the playoffs.

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